Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-02-05
METALLIC FREAKS.
Queer Forms Assumed by Molten silver
Dropped ON Cold Slabs.

From the Chicago Herald.
Ten years ago this winter stood In the big Cal
fornia stamp mill at Virginia City, New, watching
| the sixty ponderous $50 pound weights thunder
ing on the quartz. The pulp was being stirred in
the great pans; the tailings were going out down
flume like mill race. At each settling pan was
| large canvas bag held in vise-nke grip. was
invited to thrust my hand into one OF them. did
| So and brought up great handful of something
| that was heavy and as elusive as Quicksand-
ssThatn said Senator Fair, then superintendent
| OF the Big Bonanza mine, sis amalgam-qu1cksilyer
and gold and silver. We put that In red hot re-
caught and precipitated, and the bullion comes
out In blackened but solid mass. Now come
down to the refining room and I'll show you some
thing. Dye ever see how silver spreads when you
drop it? l can't do this we'll as I'd like to, for
there's too much gold; this stuff runs forty five
per cent gold, and it's too heavy to work as Id
senator Fair led the way to a room in a brick
building adjacent, where two great caldrons Were
each OF those" said Sir. Fair. "Johnny, clear this
iron table, and get me two blocks OF ice"
foot ' apar ON the IRON bed When ali Was
chilled Mr.. Fair said 'Give me 5O-ounce ladle."
The latter was dipped into one OF the caldrons
and came up with pint of white molten fluid.
''Now, WATCH" said Mr. Fair. He held it up as
high as his arms would reach, and dropped it on
the cold slab between the cakes of ice. ne dropped
it ip SplatcheS OF little more than tablespoonful
each. The effect was marvellous. AS the liquid
silver and gold fell its weight scattered it into ten
suddenly applied CONCEALED IL into hundred thou
sand uncomfortable shapes in an instant. There
were splatters and splatches, and all sorts OF
things. Where single drop would fall 1t would
expand to either a coach wheel or cObweb, as
the freak would take it. If Mr.. Fair dropped
spoonful next the cake Of ice the splashes would
rise, catch on to the ice, and make perfect little
wire forest. 1t was one OF the most beautiful
sights the writer had ever seen.
'.JewelerS and SliverSmithS, said Mr.. Fair, "get
good many of their ideas from just such lido
syncracieS of silver bullion. have held it I'D be-
fore now, dropped it and seen come out the oldest
and most surprising forms. Lon Hamilton, Jones
brother-in-law, has complete coach and four
and hounds behind-the result OF just one splatch
on cake OF ice down at the Belcher. Odd things
in silver? oh, the silverSmithS are more perfect
than we are, but I'll bet can hold this ladle up,
drop the whole OF ii on that cold slab, and you
will see variety OF forms, devices and grOtesque-
rieS such as you never dreamed of, Johnny, give
me fresh ladie Now, stand away. Here she goeS!"
and pint OF molten silver wentout On the caldrOn
Ten thousand shapes and i'll shapes, and ten
other thousand forms were there. There were
forests and streams, and birds and reptiles and
rocks and mountains. To have picked out all
would have been a weeks task.
"Chuck it back into the pam" said Mr. Fair,
"Give me another ladle. Now watch thiSr'
Down it went on the cold slab. There were ele-
plants, giraffes lions and dogs, and African bum
galOWS, and On one Splatch marching regiment
could have been made out by but trif1ing stretch
OF the imagination.